General counsel need to state specifics of what to change, not confect confusion

Those who speak and write about legal department management should try to do so without jargon, with words pragmatic and clear. The opposite of that style means nothing definite comes through, that you hear the words but can’t understand their meaning. An egregious example bagged from Practical Law, Feb. 2010 at 96 helps.

Asked the “single most challenging issue that in-house lawyers are likely to face over the next two or three years,” one general counsel projected increasing demand for legal services while resources and budgets are tight. Do more with less, in brief. As to the solution to this challenge, the Orwellian fog rolled in.

“In-house lawyers need to build an operating model for strategic flexibility so resources can be proactively reallocated to focus on highest priorities and emerging trends and needs.”

Opaque. There is nothing sweet about such turgid consultese!